The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-10-08

hurt hair O. yer head"
corruborated this, and the boy was con-
forted.
''Why did you join those mena' askcl
''Me father was with 'um, SIR"
'Is he killed." went on.
'sNo, sir; oh, mol" the lad replied with a
look of alarm, ''but we lost wan anotherp
whats your name, alunnahl" inquired
the woman.
''Patsy Ryan, ma'am."
Her face became dark, and she started
back from the bed, over which she had been
leaning, asking in a cold, hard voice:
''Where dye come from, gooo boyl"
''From Tulla, ma'am, three miles tn other
side o. Doneraile," the lad answered, puz-
zled by the change in her manner.
SIS foxy Pad Ryan yer fatherl'::s almost
screamed.
eyes, ma am" was the faltering reply
The woman became frantic. ssCursed
brood ~ she shrieked ''that brought nothin'
to me an mine but misfortunel Whelp of
vagabone, assassin an parjured informer,
come till give ye to the poll S, an put We in
fair way O. bein' hanged!"
She seized the boy by the shoulders, and
before he could resist dragged him from
the bed, and they struggled together for a
moment on the floor. | raised the woman
and drew her away, demonstrating and en-
treating meanwhile. She turned on me
like fury, and, snatching up an axe that
stood behind the door, rushed towards me,
welding the weapon, while her eyes flashed
| and her lips quivered.
"Don't come between me an me re.
| vinger' she cried. ''D'ye know who led me
| husband into crime, an falsely swore Eis4
to the gallows, who broke me hear. an
ruined me lifel I'll tell ye-foxy Padsyan
An whin l have his son here in me 5ower,
who'll say mustn't have blood foi bloodi
i followed me darln' Dan to CorlJail, an
saw him brought out tied with rpes, an
thin they strangled him to deth. An
whin / come home, found me hby dead
from cowld an hunger; an 1 Helt down
| an prayed that the curse of a. the saints
might attind the villin who Fought the
desolation on me house. An'here's his
son, an I'll folly him to the gaows toop
Exhausted by passion, she dopped into
chair, still holding the axeAnd looking
threateningly on the boy, VIII had crept
back to bed, and now lay gang in terror
at the woman. We heard votes outside,
and all three turned towards he window.
The snow had ceased, the al was clear,
and the sun shone colby on the white
robed hills, while an icy wad moaned
through the glen. ''My father cried the
boy joyfully.
A group of men were croucbd on hill
lock outside the house, and afer glancing
down the slope, they simultaneously lev
eled their guns and fired. With one ex-
ception, they then turned aid ran. He
who remained was tall, snewy man,
with a slouched hat and long gray over
coat, outside which belt vas fasteneds
His hair and whiskers were reddish and
he had yellow, wrinkled, h.wk-like face,
that was singularly requisite. He stayed
to watch the effect of his shit, then spring
ing to his feet, uttered shrill whoop,
| brandished his gun, and was about to fol
low his comrades, when the whistle Of
bullets passed the cottage, and after bound
ing upward, the man fell on his back in the
snow, and lay motionless, his arms out
/ stretched.
my hostess, her face pressed against the
window, looked on breathlessly; and when
the man fell, she dropped on her knees, and
with uplifted hands, cried, in an agitated
voice: God pardon me, for poor wicked
e:ayture, who forgot that her cause was II
His hands when l sought the life of an in
nocent gossoonr' She staggered to the bed,
and throwing herself across the boys feet
|
sorrow for his father and anxiety for him
self, after one sad wall OF Daddy daddyn'
sat pale and trembling.
The wind brought to US the dull sound o.
horses hoofs, and troop of lancers came
trotting up the glen by twos the sunligff
glaucIng from the points of their speara
Behind at a slower pace, two or three com
panles of infantry climbed the rugged path
The whole force was drawn up on the leve
space before the door, and an officer, attend
ed by couple of soldiers, entered.
The poor woman was too agitated to an
swer his inquiries, and Undertook to salts T.
him about the passage of the rebels and ny
own identity.
''Who is this young man, MADAME h
asked, referring to the boy, who, on findin!
himself observed, shrank back III the bed
me son, capten-me only boy, yer honor
Don't be afraid, Patsy, darlin'; the han
some gintleman won't do any thin to ye.'
lis the poor lad illl' the officer aske'
alphabetically.
mo, sir; no. yer honor; but the boys
the Faynians, l name, sir-frightened him
an runnn' home he turned his ankle be
nathe him. That's all. capten, sir"
The soldiers departed, and soon followed
leaving the boy bemoaning the loss Of hi
only relative, whose body the troops car
red with them, while the woman tried t
console him.
arrived in London without further Incl
dent.
Business took me again into that neigh
, borhood some years afterwards, and as tn
weather was fine, made an ex cursion t
the scene of the adventure l have related
, The place was easily found, and | wa
Z agreeably surprised by the changes tina
| had taken place. Patsy Ryan was still
: with the widow, whose desire for ven
geance had collapsed on the death of tn
boys father. He was married, and hal
; three sturdy children, who called the oil
lady Ceramic" The little cottage was re
placed by a substantial house; the rugget
waste that formerly ran downward IRON
; the door, was now cultivated and feEsed il
with the stones that Patsy dug from 6f'
land; couple of cows grazed lower down
and pigs, ducks and geese roamed about a
. will.
Nothing could exceed the tenderness
!. shown by the old lady and her adopted sol
r towards one another; and as l sat befor
5 the hearth. surrounded by the family,
3 could not help contrasting the comfort an,
e peace that now reigned there, with tn
poverty, the misery, the fierce passion
? that saw on my former visit.-Chanl6sr'
r Journal.